Weft-detecting mechanism



Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT ortica.

XVALTER H. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

WEFT-DETEGTING MECHANISM.

Application filed April 5,

To Nigro/om 'it 'may concer/v.'

lle it known that l', Yamini H. lann- Fiicco, a citizen ot the United States, re-

siding at ldorcester, inthe county of forcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful left-Detecting Mechanism, of which the following' is a specification.

This invention relates to weft detecting mechanism ot' the movable plunger type, as shown in the prior patent of E. H. Ryon,

No. 1,221,768, issued April 3, 1917.

ln the weft detecting mechanism therein shown, a single yielding arm or tension member engages all of the detecting,l plunger-s, moving the-m normally to rearward position andv being' moved forward whenever any one of the plungers engages the bobbin in the shuttle Ior a substantial amount of weft thereon. When the tension arm is thus moved by one of the plungers, the remaining plungers are relieved of tension and are easily moved forward by the slightest pressure, as by engagement with one or two turns of weft on the bobbin. It is evident, however, that substantial weft exhaustion should be indicated under such conditions and it is the general object 'l0 of my invention to provide a certain resistance to the forward movement of the plungers. in` addition to the yielding tension of the spring' arm. rlhe result of such'- piovision is to make the indications by the plungers more reliable than has been heretofore attained.

M v invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which- Fin'. 1 is a left hand side elevation of weft detecting' mechanism embodying my im pro vements Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof;

a is a plan view of the cover plate and friction device; and

Fin'. 5 .is a sectional. elevation taken along the line 5 in Fig. t.

Referring to the drawings, I have indicated a portion of an arm 10 adapted to be rigidly supported by the loom frame (not shown) and having an eccentric stud or 1922. Serial N0. 549,934.

bushing` 11 adjustably mounted therein. A support 12 is provided with a split bearing)r 13 adapted to be clamped about the eccentric stud 11. Set screws 14 at the lower end of the arm or bracket 10 engage a lug 15 on the support 12 and provide accurate angular adjustment of the support.

Rearwardly projecting portions 16 of the support 12 act as guides for a vertical reciprocated actuator member 17 having` a hook 18 at its upper end. Upon indication ofl weft` exhaustion, a latch 2() having a hook-shaped lower end (not shown) is moved into operative relation with the hook 1S, such movement beingl caused by an arm 21 pivoted at on a bar also mounted for vertical movement and havingY a lost motion connection with the actuator rod 17.

A detector frame 25 is yieldingly secured to the front side of the support 12 b v fastening'devices not shown, and is provided with a plurality of parallel slots or grooves in which detecting members or plungers 26 are slid-ably mounted. These plungers are reduced in thickness at their rear end to provide rounded portions 27 adapted to enter the holes in a bobbin when the weft is substantially exhausted thereon.

A tension arm 28 is pivotally mounted on a stud 29 at the front of the frame 25 and is engaged by the upivardly extended end ot a spring' 3() as shown in Fig. 2. The arm 2b 'vieldingly engages lugs 31 (Fig. 1) on the front. ends of the plungers 26.v lVhenever any one of the plungers is engaged by a bobbin or by a substantial amount of weft thereon, the plunger is moved forward or to the right in Fig. 1 and the arm 2S is also yielding'ly moved forward.

.lf one of the plungers, however, remains in rearward position, its lug 31 will be in the path of a portion 82 of the arm 21 as the sliding bar 25 descends, and the arm 21 will swing` pon its pivot 22 to move the latch 2O into the path of the hook 18. The latch is directly connected with the transterrer and a change of bobbins will immed diately follow.

A. cover plate S8 provided for the fran'ie 25, being' slidably secured thereto by depending' sidc flanges having inturned lower` edges. 'learward displacement of the plate is prevented by abutments a formed on frame 25. A stud 3l extendingfrom the plate of extends through slot 35 formed in a link 33, the forward end of which is con-- nected through stud 3G to an arm 36 rigid ivith the transferrer lever. rllhrough these connections the plate moves forivard at transfer' and by engaging lugs 3l ivithdraivs allthe detector plunger-s from the path of the incoming bobbins.

The parts thus far described are substantially of the form shown in the prior patent to Ryon above noted, to ivliich reference is made for a more complete description. These parts in then'iselves constitute no part of my present invention which relates to they provision of frictional resistance for the different plungers 2G.

For this purpose. l have provided a` fric tion plate Ll() (Figs. E and il) riveted or otherwise secured to the cover plate and having a plurality of spring lingers 4l eX- tending through the slot or opening #l2 in the cover plate and yieldingly engaging the upper edges of the detecting plungers Q6.

While I have shown my improved friction device as mounted on the cover plate it will be understood that this particular position of the plate is not essential and that it may be secured to the frame if so desired.

lilith my improved tension or friction dev'ee in use. the plungers 2G are at all times trietionally engaged. Such engagement by the spring Enger-s 42 ,vieldingly resists or retards moven'ient of the plungers so that they are not readily displaced when they are slightly engaged. as by a single turn or two of iveft on the bobbin. rllhe device is thus supplementary 'in its action to the spring arm 2S and the friction is of such character that it does not interfere .vith the return movement ot the plungers by the spring arm.

Having thus described mv invention anIl the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim iszl. ln a weft detecting` mechanism, a plurality of elongated movable plunger-s, a single yielding device engaging said plungers and etl'ective to return all of said plungers to normal rear ard position, and additional means to resist longitudinal weftindicating displacement of separate plungers in every position of said yielding device.

2. In a weft detecting mechanism, a plu rality of elongated movable plungers, a single yielding device engaging said plungers and etlective to return all of said plungers to normal rearward position, and additional means ettective to separately apply friction to each of said plungers and to thereby resist longitudinal weft-indicating displacement of separate plunger-s in every position of said yielding device.

3. ln a iveft detecting mechanism, a framer` a plurality of plungers slidablel therein. a yielding member engaging said plungers at their forward ends, a cover plate for said frame. and ay pluralityY of spring lingers mounted on said cover plate and yieldingly engaging said plungers to friet-ionally retard u'iovement thereof.

4. ln a weft detecting mechanism. a fran'ie. a plurality of plungers slidable therein.y a yielding member engaging said plungers at their vforward ends. a cover plate Jfor said frame, and a. spring plate mounted on said cover plate and comprising a. pluralityv of separate spring lingers each frietionally engaging a separate plunger to resist displacement thereof.

ln testimony ivhereof I have hereunto atlixed my signature.

il/*ALTER- H. XVKEFIELD. 

